Anxiety in Middle�School Students: Strategies and Solutions to Help

Joanna A. Robin, PhD

Westchester Anxiety Treatment Psychological Services, PC

Agenda

• Parents will learn to:

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• Distinguish between normal fears and problematic anxiety

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• Talk to their children about anxiety

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• Use strategies that reduce physiological arousal

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• Help their children identify their anxious thoughts and behaviors

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety - feelings of nervousness and fear in anticipation of a potential negative event.

• Anxiety is universal
• Anxiety disorders exist across cultures
• Anxiety is often adaptive
• We need it to survive and it keeps us safe
• Some anxiety can be helpful
• Keeps us motivated
• Helps us complete tasks
• Often hereditary, can be brought on by life events

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Stress�

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Stress: Putting extreme or constant pressure on someone or something

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Anxiety Vs. Stress. Stress�. Stress�

Stress = reaction to an external cause

• Big social event
• Sports competition
• Medical procedure

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Anxiety = our reaction to stress

• Caused internally
• Marked by negative thinking, physiological arousal and possibly avoidance

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It is OK, and even important, for children to experience stress and learn how to handle it. Often anxiety worsens in children when they do not learn to face stressful situations.​

Anxiety Disorders

• Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental health disorder in the U.S.
• Anxiety disorders affect one in eight children.
• Anxiety disorders are treatable, however 80 percent of children and adolescents with a diagnosable anxiety disorder are not getting treatment.

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(Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2018)

When Does Anxiety Become a Problem?

• Avoidance
• Anxiety leads to avoiding important situations or life events
• Avoidance becomes a pattern and coping strategy

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When Does Anxiety Become a Problem?�

• Interference
• Anxiety interferes with facing typical developmental challenges
• Impacts functioning across any of the following domains: academics, social, family/home

When Does Anxiety Become a Problem?

• Distress
• Anxiety causes the individual significant internal distress

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Me: What could possibly go wrong?

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Anxiety: I am glad you asked!

When Does Anxiety Become a Problem?

• Duration
• Anxiety does not remit for weeks, months

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Identifying Anxiety: Potential Red Flags

• Asking questions (or reassurance) too frequently
• Perfectionism, needing this to be a certain way
• Excessive worry about failure
• High strung, tense and unable to relax
• Lacking self-confidence

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• Extreme shyness/isolation
• Avoiding social situations
• Extreme discomfort when center of attention
• Irritability
• Avoiding schoolwork for fear of making a mistake
• Excessive worry about upsetting others

Identifying Anxiety: Potential Physical Red Flags

• Stomachaches/headaches
• Trouble catching breath
• Nausea
• Sweating
• Dizzy, faint, or light headed
• Heart racing or beating faster than normal
• Shaking or feeling jittery
• Difficulty concentrating

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Anxiety is Like a Wave

Name it to Tame it

• That’s Anxiety…. Worry…. Fear….OCD

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• Anxiety is trying to protect you, but you don’t need protecting.

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• Introduce the idea of the false alarm.

Reducing Physiological Arousal

• Deep breathing

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• Visualization

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• Mindfulness
• Calm
• Headspace
• Zen animals

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What is Your Rating?

Talking to Your Child About Anxiety

• Recognize your reaction to your child’s pain:
• What is your response?
• Anxiety
• Frustration

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• Recognize that your child’s distress is genuine
• Resist urge to solve problem or assign blame

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• Make yourself available to listen

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• Be sensitive and validate your child’s concerns
• This can be done through reflections versus asking questions
• Remember validation of the emotion is not the same as validation of the behavior
• Be a coping model or share your experience

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THINGS TO SAY!

• OF COURSE YOU FEEL THIS WAY!

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• I KNOW YOU CAN GET THROUGH THIS.

Help their children identify their anxious thoughts�

• What are you expecting bad to happen?

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• What is worry saying?

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• What has happened in the past that makes you think this?

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• What strategy have you tried to help yourself?

Help their children identify their anxious behaviors

• Avoidance
• Sleep
• Schoolwork
• Asking for help

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• Reassurance seeking

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• Checking

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• Redoing

Getting Ready for Change

• Now your child has the ability to:
• Talk about emotions and rate the intensity
• Talk about their thoughts and feared consequences
• Calm down their physiological arousal

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• Now you have the ability to:
• Talk about anxiety with your child
• Show confidence in your child’s ability to manage anxiety
• Manage your own emotions when your child is anxious.

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